CURRENT STRATEGY OF CIRCULATORY SUPPORT FOR PROFOUND HEART-FAILURE

The purpose of this study is to assess the current strategy of mechani cal circulatory support for profound heart failure. In the last 10 yea rs, 37 patients with profound heart failure underwent mechanical circu latory support after open heart surgery and 9 patients with non-cardio tomy cardiogenic shock received emergency circulatory support. All pat ients showed severe cardiac failure and/or fatal ventricular arrhythmi a and required circulatory support as a life-saving measure. After car diovascular surgery, 12 of those patients underwent venoarterial bypas s (VAB), 13 had biventricular bypass (BVB), 8 had left ventricular byp ass (LVB) and the remaining 4 patients received left ventricular assis t device (LVAD). And 9 patients with non-cardiotomy cardiogenic shock received percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (or PCPS) as an emergenc y assist system. Weaning and discharge rates of the patients by the ty pe of circulatory supports were 41.7% and 25.0% with VAB, 69.3% and 46 .2% with BVB, 87.5% and 37.5% with LVB, 75.0% and 50.0% with LVAD, and 44.4% and 11.1% with PCPS, respectively. Clinical results of postcard iotomy circulatory support (64.9% of weaning and 37.8% of discharge) w ere acceptable, but the patients with non-cardiotomy cardiac failure n eeded early application of more advanced circulatory support.